Lon Chaney

Lon Chaney
Chaney standing and smiling in a black-and-white photo
Chaney during the production of The Miracle Man (1919)
Born
Leonidas Frank Chaney

(1883-04-01)April 1, 1883
DiedAugust 26, 1930(1930-08-26) (aged 47)
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)
Other namesThe Man of a Thousand Faces
Occupations
  • Actor
  • director
  • screenwriter
  • makeup artist
Years active1902–1930
Spouses
Frances Cleveland ("Cleva") Creighton
(m. 1905; div. 1913)
Hazel Bennett Hastings
(m. 1915)
ChildrenLon Chaney Jr. (born Creighton Tull Chaney)
Websitelonchaney.com
Chaney with his personal makeup kit in 1925
Chaney as Erik, the Phantom of the Opera

Leonidas Frank "Lon" Chaney (April 1, 1883 – August 26, 1930) was an American actor and makeup artist. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and afflicted, characters and for his groundbreaking artistry with makeup.[1] Chaney was known for his starring roles in such silent horror films as The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) and The Phantom of the Opera (1925). His ability to transform himself using makeup techniques that he developed earned him the nickname "The Man of a Thousand Faces".

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